Chapter 17
One by one the warriors went through the Athens’ portal, emerging in the Zodiac Emporium’s basement.
As they stepped onto the main floor, they met Libra, who was holding a gun.
“Geezus. What are you all doing here?” His surprise indicated Aries hadn’t given warning. “Is this about that message dropped off earlier?”
“Yes. We’re here to retrieve a hostage as well as an artifact,” Aries succinctly explained. “All available warriors will be needed, so gear up and get ready to move out. Everyone but me and Taurus is to leave as soon as possible and get into position.”
“I can’t go.” Libra shook his head.
“Can’t?” Aries arched a brow. “This isn’t optional.”
The firm reminder of his duty had Libra clenching his jaw. “My wife is bed-bound because of her pregnancy and can’t take care of our toddler once the nanny leaves at seven.”
“What time does the child go to bed?”
“Usually by eight, but my wife doesn’t sleep until nine, and if I leave before, she’ll question my absence.”
The reply tightened Aries’ jaw, but rather than tear into Libra, he offered a compromise. “Since the meeting isn’t until ten, you’ll be the one to shadow Taurus to the rendezvous point instead of me.”
While reluctant, Libra nodded. “That would work. What are we up against?”
“Possibly alien-infected humans holding an astronomer hostage in exchange for the schematics of a device that we believe can stop an imminent invasion.”
The explanation raised Libra’s brows. “What the hell’s been going on?”
“You’d know if you ever checked in,” Leo’s brusque reply, which brought a scowl to Libra’s face.
“I’ve been busy.”
“Not with Zodiac work, you haven’t.” A rebuke from the usually laid-back Capricorn.
They’d all made the same commitment. A second chance at life in return for their service to humanity.
To have one of the brothers suddenly balking put them all in jeopardy because they could no longer be sure if Libra would have their back.
“Now is not the time for that. Leo, Zora, and Capricorn, we need to get our tourist disguises on and move out. Taurus, see if you can spot anyone watching the front of the shop. The people who left the note are most likely spying. Libra, any way of peeking at the alley?”
“I’ve got a camera by the back door and access to the ones for the businesses flanking. I’ll take a look now for anything out of the ordinary.”
As Libra jumped on his phone, pulling up a surveillance app, and the others crowded the storage room to change, Taurus chose to boldly step outside.
He leaned against the wall beside the shop’s main window and pretended to scroll his phone, but in reality, he spied.
Wasn’t much to see. Very few people strolled the sidewalks, which made the guy slumped low in the car about three businesses up the street all the more noticeable.
Taurus headed back inside. “One dude watching out front in a light blue sedan.”
“And another in the alley,” Libra reported.
Aries leaning on the far end of the store counter, now dressed in athletic wear that included a ball cap and sunglasses, pursed his lips. “In that case, we’ll exit via the attic to the rooftop and head for the fire escape at the far end of the block.”
“You’ll have to go through my apartment to reach the hatch,” Libra noted.
“Yup.”
“How am I supposed to explain a bunch of strangers trooping through the place to my wife?”
Aries arched a brow. “Are you denying us access?” A not-so-subtle reminder of who actually owned the building.
“No,” Libra hastened to reply. “I’ll figure something out, but how are we supposed to get to the door of my apartment? It’s in plain view of the street.”
“I’ll handle that,” Taurus offered.
It turned out he didn’t need to cause a distraction, though, because, when he stepped outside, the car with its watch had left.
Spotting no one else taking their place allowed Aries, Zora, Leo, and Capricorn to head out in opposite directions, dressed as gaudy tourists to blend in.
Returning to the inside of the shop meant dealing with a troubled Libra.
“How dangerous is this going to be?”
“Put it this way, if we don’t do something about this threat, you won’t have to worry about your wife and child in a few weeks.”
“That bad?”
Taurus nodded.
“Fuck.”
Feeling bad for the man, Taurus waved at the door. “It’s just after six now. Why don’t you head out early and spend some time with your family? Meet me back here before nine-thirty.”
“Thanks.” Out scurried Libra, and Taurus wondered if he’d actually return. The man appeared more concerned with his family than his duties. Could he count on him?
Right at nine-thirty, Libra returned, dressed for the occasion in black.
“Cutting it close, brother,” Taurus growled.
“Excuse me for spending time with my wife,” Libra’s hot retort. “Sorry. Don’t mean to snap. I’m a little stressed.”
“We all are. It’s part of our job ,and the fact you can’t handle it means it’s time you had a chat with Aries about your place with the Zodiacs.” Blunt, but also well-meaning.
“I know it’s time for me to quit.” A quiet agreement. “I’m planning to do so after this asteroid thing is handled. One last mission to save the world before retiring.” A wan smile tugged Libra’s lips.
“I’ll be sorry to see you go, brother.”
“Me too, but my priorities have changed. I have to do what’s best for my family.”
Taurus understood that sentiment a little better now since he’d met Circe. He’d been willing to risk the fate of mankind to rescue her. Although, in the end, he compromised with Aries, who allowed him to take the original schematics but only after they scanned each page several times.
Eyeing Libra, Taurus noticed one thing lacking. “You forgot your weapons.”
“Yeah, I just gotta grab them from the basement. I don’t keep them in the apartment in case my wife finds them.”
Libra headed downstairs and returned shortly, buckling a holster and with sheaths of knives, which he strapped to his calves and forearms.
Nine forty-five. According to the internet, it took ten minutes to walk to the location, less with his rapid and long stride.
“Let’s get this done,” Taurus muttered, exiting the shop to the roiling of dark storm clouds and distant rumbling.
The damp and heavy air promised rain. Good thing he’d secured the ancient sheets of paper in a plastic sleeve. He wouldn’t allow anything to ruin the exchange for Circe. It didn’t help his nerves he’d heard nothing from Aries and the others since their text saying Positions locked.
As he strode, hands shoved in his pockets, head down—but still observing—he tried to calm his roiling mind.
Failed.
Is Circe okay?
His worry made him no better than Libra. Was it time for him to retire too? No. Because, unlike Libra, he still wanted to go on missions. Would continue to do his duty. The only difference this time? The life of someone he cared about was at stake.
The site of the Ancient Agora appeared, the fence enclosing it easy to vault.
While the note hadn’t stated where in the vast protected ruins he should go, he headed for the most notable structure, the pillared temple.
Wind whipped, the whistle making it hard to hear if anyone approached—or still shadowed. He had to trust Libra guarded his back. The clouds overhead hung low and heavy, the storm imminent.
As Taurus neared the temple, he slowed at the sight of a man emerging from between the columns, dragging a woman with bound hands.
Circe.
While wide-eyed, she appeared unharmed and even managed a tremulous smile at the sight of him.
With feet planted, Taurus yelled, “I brought what you wanted. Release Circe and I’ll hand it over.”
“Prove it.”
Taurus unbuttoned his coat and extracted the clear plastic sleeve protecting the fragile sheets. He held it up. “Right here.”
“Place them on the ground and take two paces back.”
Doing as told, Taurus laid the plastic sleeve down and retreated before crossing his arms.
The man grabbed Circe by the arm and approached the package. As he got within reaching distance of the plans, Taurus growled, “Not one more step until you release her.”
“You can have the woman.” Demetrius gave her a shove, and Circe wasted no time running to Taurus. While he wanted to hug her, he instead murmured, “Get behind me.” At least then, if anyone shot, his body might provide protection.
“Demetrius has the rock we need,” Circe murmured at his back.
Good to know.
“So when does the ambush begin?” The man smiled, seemingly unperturbed.
“How about now?” Libra released his concealing pocket of shadow and strode forward, gun pointed.
“Hold off shooting him,” Taurus ordered. “Aries said we should try and keep the leader for questioning.”
“That would be a waste of time since nothing I could say will prevent the masters from claiming your planet.”
“What masters?”
Rather than reply, Demetrius bent and grabbed the plastic sleeve, pulling out the sheets and ripping them.
With Circe safe, boldness filled Taurus. “You do realize we made copies.”
“Doesn’t matter. You don’t have what you need to make the machine work.”
“You mean the rock? I have no problem taking it from your dead body.”
Rather than react to the threat, Demetrius smirked.
“You want the scout transport? Take it.” The rocky sphere sailed in Taurus’ direction, and he thought nothing of catching it, only belatedly recalling it might be the root cause of whatever infected Demetrius and Andreas.
In good news, Taurus didn’t feel any different. In the bad, would he even know?
“How come you don’t seem worried we’ll use it? I told you we still have the schematics for the device.”
“Build as many as you like. None of them will be able to stop the masters. This time, the enemy won’t be able to interfere.”
“If that’s true, then why even demand this exchange?” Because it made no sense to Taurus.
“To see you one last time,” Demetrius’ enigmatic reply.
A gunshot rang out, along with a distant yell.
Demetrius cocked his head. “It appears our task here is done.” With that claim, Demetrius raised his face to the cloud-riddled sky and stretched out his hands.
A strange ululation emerged from his mouth, repeated elsewhere.
While it seemed impossible, it appeared to agitate the storm.
Deep booming thunder rolled, and the ozone in the air intensified, lifting the hairs on his body.
A jagged bolt descended and struck Demetrius. The man didn’t scream or even jiggle. Simply opened his mouth to exhale before falling over.
Before Taurus could react, he got hit next, the electricity coursing through his body but, unlike Demetrius, not enough to kill. Thank the stars for that.
More lightning streaks descended around the Agora, and as his brothers—and sister—jogged from the stormy shadows to join Taurus, they all shared the same story.
All of the people Demetrius brought had been felled by lightning. In good news, they were all dead. In the bad, they would have only suicided themselves for one reason.
They thought they’d already won.